1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a putter golf club (putter). More particularly, the present invention relates to a putter with a head having a shaft positioned at a rearward portion of the head relative to the front face of the putter.
2. Description of Prior Art
At the present time, there are available a wide variety of putters which are golf clubs designed for striking a golf ball on substantially smooth grass portions of a golf course known as "putting greens". Since putting accounts for approximately one half of the golf strokes which a normal golfer takes during a round of golf, it is particularly important that the putter be designed to permit an accurate putting stroke.
The most common putter design at the present time is some variation of a simple relatively light weight "blade" on the end of a relatively short shaft as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,875. A blade type putter is relatively low weight club which requires the user to strike the ball with a higher velocity in order to impart a desired momentum (mass times velocity) to the golf ball. When utilizing the required higher velocity, the user tends to lose control over the putting stroke. In addition, with a light weight club head, the inertia of the ball and club head are similar so that when the ball contacts the club head slightly off-line from the center of mass of the club head, the club head tends to rotate thereby causing the ball to move away from the club head at an angle that deviates from the intended direction together with a spinning motion on the ball that further adversely influences the ball's path. With a relatively low weight club head any small irregular motion on the part of the user produces a relatively large deviation in the club head velocity and direction which results in erratic puffing.
There are also available a wide variety of putters having a club head which includes weights or which have a head having a larger weight than a blade putter. Such structures are exemplified by those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,762,717; 4,195,842; 4,411,430; 4,756,535; 4,834,387 and 5,082,277. These putter structures represent attempts to enlarge the "sweet spot" on the club head face. The "sweet spot" is the area on the putter face which, when used to strike the golf ball imparts little or no vibration and little or no torque to the putter. It is desirable to enlarge the sweet spot so as to provide the user with a large margin of error when striking the ball.
Another common problem among golfers is the inability to initiate a putting motion i.e., freezing during preparation for a putt, known in golfing terminology as the "yips". This condition may result, in part from the sensitive nature of the putt and the appreciation that the slightest lack of control and the delicate putting motion will result in an unwanted result. Prior attempts to overcome this condition include the use of putters having a relatively long shaft such as are exemplied by those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,163,554 and 5,209,474.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a putter that allows the user to have a more consistent putting stroke which would thereby provide more accuracy in putting a golf ball. In addition, it would be desirable to provide a putter with a head having a large sweet spot. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide a putter with a shaft positioned to minimize undesired club head movement when executing a putting stroke.